Controlling mechanism for car-heating systems



H. G.' GEISSINGER.

coNTRoLLlNG MEcHAmsM Foa CARA HEATING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION flLED SEPT. 9, 1918.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.A

2 SHEETS-SHEET l H. G. GEISSINGER.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR CAR HEATING SYSTEMS.

APPLICMION HLED SEPI. 9,1918. 1,404,359.

- Patentedv Jan. 24,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

" ple, at 50;degrees ment whereby,

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' HARRY e. GEISSINGER, or NEW vomi,v N.

Y., ASSIGNOB TO VAPOR. CAR HEATING COMPANY, INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION i OF NEW YORK.

coN'raoLLING mEcnfANIsnr roza can-Burma .sYsrEMs.

Specication of Letters Patent. I

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

Application led September 9, 1918. Serial 30,253,821.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY G. GErssINGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of '.New yYprk and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Control ling Mechanism for Car-Heating Systems, of which the following is a specification.

. My invention relates to a controlling mechanism for railway car heating systems, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a simple, relatively mex,- pensive. and practical a'pparatus for automatically controlling acar heating system which will operate to maintain the atmos phere of the car at a lower temperature when the car is standing unoccupied in thev yard than during the periods of occupancy; the invention contemplating an arrangewhen the heating system of the car 1s connected up with the yard steam supply line the temperature'of the |car will be maintained at a point just sufficient to prevent the possibility of the water pipes, fixtures and the like, from freezing, for exam- Fahrenheit, while the coupling up of the car to the locomotive will bring about a readjustment of the elements of the control system which will result. in raising the temperature to a higher pomt, for example, to a normal living temperature of 7.0 degrees Fahrenheit, Aor thereabouts, and maintaining the temperature. at this point during the time the car remains 1n service. It is usual during the cold seasons to heat railway cars while they are standing in the yards, but so far as I am aware 1 t has not been the practiceto exerclse 'any different control over the system than that which is in force when the car is` occupied. Cars standing in the yards may be heated' to as high or tfo higher temperaturesl than are maintained when the cars are in service with the result that there is ordinarily a waste of steam which may be very considerable, inasmuch as, on the, average, a passenger car is in service only a comparatively small tem contemplating a' change from one temperature to another to depend upon the care lvice versa, and also limited manual and attention of the railroad men in making the necessary adjustments offvalves and conltrolling devices. `Having these conditions 1n view my 4invention provides a controlling mechanism which operates automatically to brlngabout the shift from the high temperature to the low temperature control, and to govern the supply of heatlng mediumto the radiator or radiators so as to maintain the car at the selected temperature.

The controlling mechanism makes provision, however, in its preferred form, for a control for a specific purpose. But this is entirely subordinate to the v automatic operation of theapparatus. wWhen a car is standing at a terminal station it is sometimes desirable to have it heated up to the normal temperature of occupancy before the automatic change from the low to the high temperature control can take place, and with this in view, my invention provides an arrangement whereby the car attendant may shift the control manually from the low temperature to the high by the manipulation of a, device which, however, is at once made ineffective when subsequently th'e high temperature control is put into operation automatically. By ,this arrangement the automatic return from high temperature control to low temperature control, when the car is disconnected from the locomotive and sent to the yard, is assured.

A further and important object of the invention. is to provide an arrangement whereby the heating system is governed by two thermostats set to function at different temperatures. It is undesirable, if not quite impractical, to adjust a single thermostat to operate at temperatures as far apart as the yard temperature and normal temperature contemplate-d by my invention. The thermostat is ordinarily too delicate an instrument` to successfully stand repeated adjustments over a wide range.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating th'e relation .bf all of the various instrumentalities composing the controlling system; and

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views on a larger scale than that of Fig. 1, showing the different positions ofthe switch device which determines whether the system be under high or low temperature control; Fig. 2 showing the parts of the switch device in the position which they occupy when the low temperature control is effective; Fig. 3,the position while the system is under the high temperaturecontrol through the manual operation of the switch, and Fig. 4, the position which the switch elements assume when the locomotive is coupled up to the train and the high temperature control made effective through automatic means.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings. The control mechanism of my invention may be applied to either high or low pressure heating systems of various types. have, therefore, shown the heating system in a diagrammatic andsimplified way, illustrating only such parts of the heating system as are necessary for a proper understanding of my invention. A represents the steam train pipe of the car, B the'steam heating device or radiating coil within the car, and C a valve which controls the inflow of steam from the train pipe to the radiator. This valve is opened by an electromagnet D. E and F are the low temperature and high temperature thermostats, respectively, G an automatically operated switch adapted to close the circuit through the high temperature thermostat and H a manually operated switch having the same function.

The switch G is operated by a motor J, the actuation of which depends upon conditions resulting from the attachment of the locomotive to the train and the detachment of the same therefrom. As soon as the locomotive is attached to the train the air signal train line is coupled up with the air compressor in the locomotive and filled with air under pressure. Taking advantage of this circumstance the motor which operates switch G is made, in the preferred embodiment of my invention, to depend for its actuation upon the presence or absence of air pressure 'in the signal line. The air signal line is indicated at K in Fig. 1'-, 10 is a branch pipe leading from pipe K to the cylinder 11 of the motor J.l The piston 12 of the motor is provided with a piston rod 13 having a pin 14 engaging a slot 15 in the switch lever G. A Spiral spring 16 is interposed between the stationary abutment 17 and the motor piston 12 and operates to return the piston to the inner end of the cylinder when the motor is relieved of air pressure, this movement returning the switch G to its open position. The switch G is pivoted at 18 to a terminal plate 19 to which is also pivoted at 20 the switch H. Switch H is provided'with a laterally extending plate 21 against which bears the end of a push rod 22 mounted to a slide in the fixed bearing 23. The piston rod 13 projects beyond switch G so that .when switch H is on the common contact 24 the position which it will take (Fig. 3) when the push rod 22 is operated, the actuation of the motor J under air pressure will cause the end of rod 13 to bear against plate 21 of switch H and force the switch back to its normal position 4).

The thermostats and F are circuit breaking thermostats which operate to open vthe circuits which they control .on rise of temperature to given points. The circuits through the thermostats are normally closed circuits. I preferto employ thermostats of the type indicated consisting of chord and arc members, the chord member being the element of major expansibility. Its expansion lorea'ks the contact between the arc member and the opposing contact. Preferably the push rod 22 by which the manual closing of selective switch H is effected, bears upon plate 21 of the switch arm without being connected therewith, so that manual movement of the switch is possible only in the direction 'to close it. The return to low temperature control can therefore be effected only through operation of the automatically controlled selective switch G.

The operation of the controlling mechanism above described is as follows: In Figs. 1- and 2 the parts of the apparatus are represented in the positions which they would assume during a period of low temperature control while the radiator is receiving steam. In other words, the car is standing in the yard and its temperature is below that at which the low temperature thermostat is set to act. The circuit is closed through the magnet D as follows: Battery-25, wire 26, contact 27, low temperature thermostat E, wire 28, magnet D and wire 29 to the batt/eiX.

s soon as the temperature of the car reaches that for which the thermostat E is set, for example, when the temperature reaches fiftydegrees Fahrenheit, the expansion of the chord member 30 of thermostat E will draw the arc member 31 away from contact 27 so as rto break the circuit, deenergize magnet. D and cause valve C to close, cutting 'off steam to the radiator.

When the car is brought to the terminal station the steam train line is ordinarily connected with the bumper post steam hose some little time before the locomotive is attached to the train. As the car will ordinarily be occupied before this occurs, it is desirable to make the change from the low to the high temperature control before such change can be effected4 automatically. To accomplish this the attendant pushes in push rod 22 which moves switch H upon 'contact 24 (Fig. 3). This closes a circuit through the hightemperature thermostat as follows: Batte 25, wires- 26 and 31, contact 24, switch v wire 32, contact 33, high temperature thermostat F, wires 34 and 28, magnet D and wire 29 back to the battery. If the temperature in the car is below that for which thermostat E is set the current may How through the circuit previously described until the car temperature reaches the point at which this circuit will be open, but this is a matter of no moment. As soon as the car temperature exceeds that for which thermostat E is set thesystem will be controlled solely by the high temperature thermostat .F. The circuit through. this thermostat is broken when the car tempera- 'ture reaches normal, for example, seventy degrees.

As soon as the locomotive is coupled up to the train and air signal line K is put under pressure, the switch- G is moved from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 4 by the actuation of the air motor J. At the same time switch H is pushed from contact 24 by the end of the piston rod 13 of the motor. The

"circuit is closed through the high temperature thermostat F, being the same circuit as that last described except that wires 3l and 32 are connected by switch G instead of switch H. The purpose of moving switch H to its open position when the high temperature thermostat circuit is closed automatically, that is to say when the switch G is closed through actuation of the fluid pressure motor, is to insure the reduction of the car temperature, that is, the shifting from the high temperature control to the low temperature control automatically as soon as the locomotive is disengaged from the car and the car sent to the yard. If switch H had to be manually opened the attendant might forget to open it after the locomotive was attached to the train, or when the locomotive was detached, and the car would then be under the high temperature vcontrol vwhen coupled to-the yard steam hose.. It will be seen therefore that while the attendant may heat up the car before the locomotive is attached to the train, by operation of a device which can be manipulated. whenever such shifting from the low to the high pressurecontrol is desirable, as soon as the locomotive has been attached to the train the automatic control of the switch apparatus is resumed without any thought or care on his part.

The arrangements constituting my invention provide, therefore, means for very greatly reducing the cost of heating cars during such times as the cars are standing idle in the yards, by action of an apparatus which operates automatically andl without any opportunity for mishandling, to maintain the reduced temperature during the idle periods of the car and the higher or living normal temperature duringperiods of occupancy.

I claim:

1. The combination with the heating sys tem and compressed air system of a railway car, of controlling means for the heating system comprising two thermostats set to function at different temperatures, andl mechanism which is caused to operate automatically by presence or disappearance of pressure in a part of said air system for putting one thermostat or the other into control of said heating system.

2. The combination with the heating system and compressed air system of a railway car, of controlling means for the heating lsystem comprising, two thermostats arranged so as to be under the influence of the temperature of the atmosphere of the car, and set to function at different temperatures, and mechanism which is caused to 'operate automatically by presence or disappearance of pressure in a part of said air system for putting one thermostat or the other into control of said heating system.

3. The combination with the heating svstem and compressed air systemof a railway car, of controlling means for the heating system comprising two thermostats adapted for alternate operation, one of which functions to checkv delivery of heat to the car at a relatively high and the other at a lower temperature, and mechanism which operates automatlcally to put the high temperature thermostat in control when pressure is present in a portion of the air system and to put the low temperature thermostat in control when there is no air pressure in said portion of the air system. 4. The combination with the heating svstem and compressed air system of a railway car, of controlling means for the heating sys'- tem comprising two thermostats set to function at different temperatures, mechanism which 1s caused to operate automatically bv presence or disappearance of pressure 'in a part of said air system for putting one thermostat or the other into control of said heating system, and a manually operable device by means of which one of said thermostats may be put in control of the system.

5. Thecombination with the heating system and compressed air system of a railway car, of controlling means for the heating system comprising two thermostats set to function at different temperatures, mecha- 'nism which is caused to operate automaticallykby presence or disappearance of pressure 1n a part of said air system for putting one thermostat or the other into control of said heating system, and a manually operable device by means of which one of said thermostats can be made effective to control thesystem, which device is made inoperative to accomplish such purpose when said thermostat is put in control by said automatic mechanism.

6. The combination with the heating system and compressed air system of a railway car, of controlling means for the heatin? system comprising two thermostats adapted for alternate operation, 4one of which functions to check delivery of heat to the car at a relatively high and the vother at a lower temperature, mechanism which operates automatically to put the high temperature thermostat in control when pressure is presentin a portion of the air system and to put the point, a switch for closing said lasta higher low ltemperature thermostat in control when y there is no air pressure in said portion of the air system, and a manually operable device for putt-ing in control the high temperature thermostat, which device is made inoperative when, through the presence of air. pressure in the air system of the car, the high temperature thermostat is put in control of the heating system by the automatic mechanism.

7:' The combination with the heating system and compressed air system of a railway car, of controlling means for the heating sy:- tem comprising two thermostats adapted to control independent electric circuits and set to function at different temperatures, and a selective'switch mechanism to close and open one of said circuits automatically in accordance with the presence or absence of lair pressure in a portion of said air system.

8. The combination with the heating system and compressed air system of a railway' car, of controlling means for the heating system comprising two thermostats adapted to control independent electric circuits and set to function at different temperatures, a selective switch mechanism to close and openl one of said circuits automatically in accordance with the presence of absence of air pressure in a portion of said air system, and a manually operable switch for closing one of said circuits.

9. The combination with the heating system and compressedA air system of a railway car, of controlling means for the heating 'system comprising two thermostats adapted to control independent electric circuits and set to function at diierent temperatures, a selective switch mechanism to close and open one of said circuits automaticallyiin accordance with the presence or absence of air pressure in a portion of said air system, and a` manually operable switch for closing one ofsaid circuits which is moved to open position when said circuit is closed by said automatic selective switch. i

10. The combination with the heating sys-v tem and compressed air system of a railway car, of` controlling means for the heating system comprising a circuit breaking thermostat in a normally closed sircuit which it is adapted to break on rise of temperature to a certain point, a circuit breaking thermostat in another circuit which is adapted to breakits circuit at a rise of temperature to accordance with the presence or disappearance of pressure in a portion of the air system of the car for closing or opening said switch.4

11. The combination with the heating'system and compressed air system of a railway car, of controlling means for the heating system comprising a circuit breaking thermostat in a' normally closed circuit which it is adapted to break on rise of temperatureto a certain point, a circuit breaking thermostat in another circuit which is adapted to break its circuit at a rise of temperature to a higher point, a switch for closing said last named circuit, means which operates in accordance with the presence or disappearance of pressure in a portion of the air system of `the car 'for closing or opening said switch,

and a manually operated switch for closing saidlast named circuit which is opened when the automatic vswitch is moved-to close said circuit.

12. The combination with the heating system of a' railway car', of controlling means for the heating system comprising two circuit breaking thermostats-arranged in separate circuits which are adapted to -function at different temperatures, a switch for determini'ng which of said thermostats shall control said heating 'system, and means vwhich operates automatically upon connection of the car with and disconnection of the same from a locomotive t0 control the movements of said switch.

13. The combination with the heating system of a railway car, of controlling mechanism for the same comprising a valve for governing the circulation of heating medium through said system, an electrically actuated device for operating said valve, circuit breaking thermostats which are adapted to be put into control of said system alternately, one being set to break its circuit at a rise of temperature to a given point and the other at a rise of temperature to a lower point, an automatically operating switch, the position of which determines whether .one

lor the other of the thermostats shall be in ator and a signal mechanism, a controlling valve for the radiator, means for 'moving the valve, ltwo separate thermostats on thecar adapted to maintain the temperature thereof atone of two selected temperatures, and means dependent upon the signal mechanism being in an operative or inoperative condition for automatically determining whether means for the heating system comprising-a circuit breaking thermostat in a normally closed circuit which it is adapted to .break on rise of temperature to a certain point, a

' circuit breaking thermostat which is adapted to breakits circuit at a rise of temperature to a higher point, a switch for closing said last named circuit, and means which operates automatically upon connection of the car with and disconnection of the same from a locomotive to control the movements of saidlswitch.

16. l'The combination with the heating system of a railway car, ofv controlling means for the heating system comprising a circuit breaking thermostat in a normally closed circuit'which itis adapted to break on rise of temperature to a certain point, a circuit breaking thermostat which is adapted to break itscircuit at a rise of temperature to a higher point, a switch for closmg said last named circuit, means which operates automatically upon connection of the car with and disconnection ofthe same from a locomotive to control the movements of said` switch, and a manually operated switch for closing said last named circuit.

17. The combination with the heating system of a railway car, of controlling means for the heating system comprising a circuit breaking thermostat in a vnormally closed circuit which it is adapted. to break on rise of temperature to a certain point, a

circuit breaking thermostat which is adapted4 toA break its circuit 'at a rise of temperature to a higher point, a switch for closing said last named thermostat, means which operates automatically. to control the movements of said switch, and a manually opera-ted switch for closing `said lastnamed circuit which is'moved to an open position when the automatic-'switch is moved to close said circuit.

18. The combination with the steam supply pipe and heating device of a railway car, of a valve for controlling the flow of steam from the supply to the heating device, an electrically actuated device foroperating said valve, a circuit breaking thermostat-in a normally closed circuit with said electrically actuated device, which circuit is adapted to break at rise of temperature to a given point, a circuit breaking thermostat in a circuit which is independent of the first named thermostat but includes said electrically actuated device, which circuit said thermostat is adapted to. break on rise of temperature to a higher point, an automatically ope-rated switch for closing the circuit of said high temperature thermostat,l and a manually operable switch for closing said last named circuit which is moved/f to an open position by the closing of the automatically operated switch.

' 19. The combination with the steam suplply pipe and heating device of a railway car, of a valve lfor controlling the iow of steam from the supply tothe heating device, an electrically actuated device for operating said valve, a circuitbreaking thermostat in a normally closed circuit with said electrically actuated device, which circuit it is adapted to break at rise of temperature to a given point, a circuit breaking thermostat 'in a circuit which yis independent of the first named circuit but includes said electrically actuated device, which circuit said last named thermostat is adapted to break --on rise of temperatureto a. higher point, a

switch adapted to close said last namedcirchit, a pressure actuated motor which, when under pressure, moves said switch to the closing position, a spring to return the switch to its open position, and a manually operated switch adapted to close said last named circuit, said motor being provided with means for opening said manually operated switch when the motor is actuated to close the other switch.

20. The combination with the steam supply pipe and heating device of a railway car, of a valve ,for controlling the flow of steam from the supply to the heating device, an electrically actuated device for operating said valve, a circuit breaking thermostat in' a normally closed circuit with said electrically actuated device, which circuit it is adapted to break at rise fi temperature t0 a given point, a circuit breaking thermostat in a circuit which is independent of the first named thermostat but includes said electrically actuated device, which circuit said last named thermostat is adapted to break on rise of temperature t0 a higher point, a switch adapted to close said last named circuit, means for closing and opening said switch comprising a piston adapted to be subject to fluid pressure and having a rod connected with said switch, a spring to return the piston when relieved of fluid pressure, and a switch to close said circuit having a push rod for giving it its closing movement which bears upon without being connected with the switch, said piston rod adapted to bearagainst said last mentioned switch and open the same when the other switch is moved to closed position.

21. In combination with the heatingsystem of a railway car, of controlling mechanism for the s ame comprising two thermostats which function at different temperatures and having a governing member which in diierent positions causes the controlling mechanism to maintain the atmosphere in the car at respectively different temperatures, means actuated automatically upon connection of the car with or disconnection of the same from a locomotive for shifting said governing member-backand forth from one position to the other, and manually operable means which can be set to cause the controlling mechanism to maintain the car at one of said tem eratures, which means is made ineffective W en said automatic means operates to effect the maintenance of said temperature in the car.

22. In combination with a railway car, a source of supply of heating medium, a radiator and a signal mechanism; a controlling valve 'for the radiator, am'otor 'electrically operated for moving the valve, thermostatic means in the car capable of operation to maintain the temperature thereof at eitherl one of two selected temperatures, land means dependent upon the signal mechanism being in an operative or inoperative condition for automatically determining whether the thermostatic means shall function to maintain the high or low car temperature respectively.

23. In combination with a railway car, a source of supply of heating medium, a radiator and a signal mechanism; a controlling valve for the radiator, a motor electrically operated for moving the valve, two separate thermostats in the car adapted to maintain the temperature thereof' at one of two selected temperatures, and means dependent upon the signal mechanismbeing in an operative or inoperative condition .for automatically determining whether one thermostat or the other shall control the car heating system.

24. In combination with a railway car, a source of supply of heating medium, a radiator and a signal train pipe; a controlling radiator,

valve for the radiator, a motorl electrically operated for moving said valve, thermostatic means in the cai` capable of operation to maintain `the tem erature thereof at either one of two selecte temperatures, and means' dependent upon presence or absenceof Huid pressure inthe signal train pipefor automatically determining whether the thermostatic means shall function to maintain the high or low car temperature.

25. In combination with a railwaycar, a source'of supply of heating medium,- a radiator and a train pipe adapted to receive fluid under pressure when the car is connected to a locomotive, a controlling valve for the radiator, a motor electrically operated for moving the valve, thermostatic means in the car capable of operation to maintain the temperature thereof at either one of twoselected temperatures, and .means dependent upon presence or absence of pressure lin said train pipe for automatically determining whether the thermostatic means shall function to maintain the high or low car temperature.

26. In combination with a ,railway car, a source of supply ofl heating medium, a radia` tor, and a train pipe adapted to receive fluid v under pressure when -the car is connected to a locomotive; a controlling valve for the mechanism for `moving the valve, two separate thermostats in the car adapted to maintain the, temperature thereof at respectively one of two selected temperatures,

n and means dependent upon the presence ory absence of pressure insald tra'm pipe for automatically -determining whether one thermostat or the other shall control the heating system,

` H. G. GrEISSINGER.V 

